Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-06-03


went even to the heart of the wild and evil
man who adored her with the deep and savage
force of his dark nature For u moment he
paused, half regretful, half afraid. Was it
well to NEEDLE with her and to build up plans
for her overthrow and that of all she chung
too Would IL not be better to let her be, to
go his way and leave her to go hers, in peace'
She did not look quite like n woman standing
there, but more like something belonging to
another world, some subject of a higher
power. Men of powerful but undisciplined
intellect like Frank Muller are never entirely
free from superstition, however free they
may be from religion, and he grew supersti-
tious, as he was apt to do. Might there not
be an unknown penalty for treading such
flower as that into the mire-into mire mixed
perchance with the blood of those she lovedl
For few seconds he hesitated Should he
throw up the whole thing, leave the rebellion
to look after ITSELF marry one of Hans
Coetzee's daughters, and trek to the Old
Colony, or Bechuanaland, or anywherei His
hand began to tighten on his bride rein and
the horse to answer to the pressure. AS a
first step toward it he would turn away to
the left and avoid her, when suddenly the
thought of his successful rival flashed into his
mind. What leave her with that man?
Never! He had rather kill her with his own
hand. In another second he had sprung from
his horse, and, before she had guessed who it
was, was standing face to face with her. The
strength of his jealous desire overpowered
him.
"Ah, thought he had come after missile"
said Jantje who, pursuing his former tactics,
was once more indulging his passion of stink
ing about behind trees and in tufts of grass
"Now what will missile say?'
"IIow are you, Bessie" he said, in a quiet
voice; but she, looking into his face, saw that
1t beied his voice. 1t was alive with evil
passions that seemed to make it positively
lurid, an effect that its undoubted beauty
only intensified.
81 am quite well, thank you, Mr.. Muller"
she answered, as she began to move home
ward, commanding her voice as well as sho
could, but feeling dreadfully frightened and
lonely. She knew something of her admirers
character, and feared to be left alone with
him. so far from any help, for nobody was
about now, and they were more than 800
yards from the house.
He stood before her. so that she could not
pass without actually pushing past him.
"Why are you in such hurry?" he said.
"You were standing still enough just now"
at is time for me to be getting in. l want
to see about the supper"
"The supper can wait while, Bessie, and
cannot wait. l am going off to Paarde
Kraal tomorrow at daybreak, and 1 want to
say good by to you first"
"Good by" she said, more frightened than
ever at his curious, constrained manner, and
she held out her hand.
He took it and held it.
"Please let me CO." she said.
"Not till you have heard what l have to
say. Look here, Bessie, love you with all
my heart 1 know you think l am only a
Boer, but am more than that. l have been
to the Cape and seen the world. l have
brains, and can see and understand things
and if you will marry me l will lift you up
You shall be one of the greatest ladies in
Africa. though am only plain Frank Muller
now. Great things are going to happen in
the country, and 1 shall be at the head of
them, or near it. No. don't try to get away
l tell you love you, you don't know how
l am dying for you. Oh! can't you believe
me, my darling! my darling! Yes, l will kiss
YOU and in an agony of passion, that her re
sistance only fired the more, he flung his
strong arms round her and drew her to his
breast fight as she would.
But at this opportune moment an unex-
pected diversion occurred of which the hidden
Jantje was the cause. Seeing that matters
were getting serious, and being afraid to
show himself lest Frank Muller should kill
him then and there, as he would indeed have
been quite capable of doing, he hit upon an
other expedient to the service of which he
brought ventriloquistic power which is not
uncommon among natives. Suddenly the
silence was broken by a frightful and pro
longed wall that seemed to shape itself into
the word "Frank," and to proceed from the
air just above the struggling Bessie's head
The effect produced upon Muller was some
thing wonderful.
"Alemachter!" he cried, looking up lit is
my mothers voice."
Frank" walled the voice again, and he let
go of Bessie in his perplexity and fear, and
turned round to try and discover whence the
sound proceeded-a circumstance that the
young lady took advantage of to beat rapid
if not very dignfied retreat
Drank! Frank! Frank walled and
howled the voice, now overhead, now on this
side, now on that, till at last Muller,
thoroughly mystiied. and feeling his super
stitious fears rising apace as the moaning
sound fitted about beneath the dark arch of
the gum trees, made a rush for his horse,
which was standing snorting and trembling
III every llHlD. III Is almost as easy 10 Work
upon the superstitious fears of dog or a
horse as upon those of man, but Muller, not
being aware of this, took the animals alarm
as a clear indication of the uncanny nature of
the voice. With a single bound he sprang
into his saddle, and as he did so the woman's
voice walled out once more:
Frank, thou shalt die i'll blood as l did,
Frank"
~~C@--@
=; zI1a 81
XIX AJtI&S| sES&lR